I love this bike. I'm told mine was originally a custom order and was requested to be fillet-brazed welded which gives it a very smooth, clean look. It was raced by one of the Rock Mountain team riders in 1992 before it was re-painted by Rocky and shipped over to me where I had my local bike shop, in Elora at the time, set it up for me.

Weaknesses: Paint spidered after only 4 month. Instead of sending a new frame Rocky Mountain decides to repaint. Hmmm, finally got the bike back after two months. So much for this awesome warranty and customer service.

Bottom Line:

Dont expect much of a true warranty if anything happens to your Rocky Mountain Bike. I will not buy again do to the lack of customer service and warranty provided.
Eric

cant remember if this bike was a 96 or 97, but was my all time favorite! Real light, pretty killer paint job (prone to easy chipping though) I rode this bike hard, long trail rides & lots of racing, eventualy snapped right chainstay,...Rocky replaced the rear triangle, painted it a solid black (At the time I was not so hot on the candy apple red & yellow) and I hammered it for another 2 years until I snapped right chainstay again on the right. Rocky offered me a new blizzard which I stll have and hammer often! I miss the Altitude,....haven't felt another like it since.

Similar Products Used: blizzard, very nice steel frame, just not as light

Bike Setup: xtr, rock shock

Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by
jack larmet
a Weekend Warrior
from Killaloe

Date Reviewed: April 26, 2008

Strengths: It is a part of me, when I ride when it sits in my barn and waits for the ride. I have had my Rocky Mountain Altitude since 1992.

Weaknesses: I have had this bike for 16 years, one peddle crank right side gave out and cracked. It is one freakin stable bike. I have since blew the Rock Shocks and just added rigid forks.

Bottom Line:

It is a beautiful bike, people still look at it, they can feel it is a special vehicle, kids try it and are just in awe. Couriers in Toronto last year when I brought it back to the city, couldn't believe what they were looking at. They were having 90's flashbacks, specially the old bearded grime-couriers!!!

Strengths: This has been the most enjoyable mountain bike I have owned. The altitude is 10 years old this year and still looks awesome. Steel is a wonderful frame material. It is too bad that manufacturers abandoned this material. The new crop of hardtail riders don't know what they missed. It was set up exceptionally well from the factory, and with the exception of a new wheelset and tires, it remains as it came. The color scheme, candy apple red and yellow still elicits compliments. There doesn't seem to be another one in the Chicago area. It allows my 6'2" 200lb. frame to climb hills like a goat and it flows smoothly down the rain rutted clay hills of the Midwest.

Weaknesses: Being ridiculously anal about quality and performance of any type of product, I have to say that this bicycle and the component set up it came with from the factory, Judy SL, Magura HS33, XTR and Sram, and Race Face,Syncros, etc. have absolutely NO weaknesses. Maybe today, everyone needs more travel in a fork, but God gave us elbows that bend to take up the extra shock.

Bottom Line:

I was just looking for other people who liked this ride as well as I do. It is nice to know that there are a few of you.

Weaknesses: Not the lightest frame in the world, but still a lot lighter than an FS bike!

Bottom Line:

This is a great, do-it-all bike. It can take a beating, is light enough at 25lbs, and rides as if somewhere, a sofa humped a rocketship and a few months later the Altitude was born... Rocky Mountain execs, if you ever read this site (which I'm sure you do), don't stop making kickin' steel-framed bikes. We love 'em.

Strengths: STEAL IS REAL!!! This is most likely the best bike I have ever riden. I am a true believer in steal frame now that I've riden this bike

Weaknesses: 3.9Lbs

Bottom Line:

I have had a number of offers for the frame but I won't sell it. I'll ride it until it breaks (or until I die, whichever first). If you want a great ride but not the lightest, this is the best you can buy. 23lbs for a sweet ride isn't too bad.

Strengths: It should be known that I bought only the frame and not the whole bike. Oh what a sweet ride, her name is Jenny. If I ever own another bike it will not be as sexy as my 97 Altitude T.O.! She is pure sex. I noticed that you don't have a photo, I'll send one in.

Weaknesses: The Tange Cromoly frame snapped on me (the right seat stay) as I was hopping some steps. I was heart broken. Luckily I sent it back to Rocky Mountain and they replaced the back end with all new Tange then they found the original powder coat colours and prepainted it for free! I was so happy. Let me say this. I've never been more impressed with any warranty coverage than I have been with Rocky Mountain. I think it had to do a little with the specialness of the bike but they really went the extra mile on this. They offered to send me a brand new 1999 frame in replacement but I wouldn't have it so they found some tange steel and redid the whole back end for me. I have to give credit to my man Steve at The Bike Shop in Calgary Alberta. He made sure everything went so smoothly. When they got the frame back at The Bike Shop they had to hide it away because it was getting so many looks. I took her on a tour of the shop when I got her back. Everyone was so envious.

Bottom Line:

First I'd like to state that your categories for "What type of rider are you?" leave much to be desired. You should put a courier category in there.

Many mountain bikers would say I'm a fool for using a mountain bike to ride road but they don't understand why its a good idea if you're a courier. Mountain frames stand up so much better to the harsh life of couriers and when you take off the suspension and ride a rigid fork with slicks its sooo smooth and sweet. When you can combine that with the sex of an altitude T.O. then you're in heaven!

Listen to me. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A SEXIER BKIE I MY LIFE!

Plus, when I had her repainted they did up the canadian maple leaves like the 97 bike had but used the newer curvey leaf stencils from the 99 models in the original colours. That makes her one of a kind. Unique in the world. I've had many offers for her but will never give my baby up.

Similar Products Used: I wouldn't buy another Rocky if you offered to pay for it. I think the quality of their products has gone steeply downhill since being bought out in 97-98. However, I just couldn't resist the temptation of a Rocky Altitude T.O. It was made just before they got bought out by americans too! Sweet bike, one of a kind. And Canadian!

Bike Setup: all 99 XT with rhino lites and I'm thinking of putting time trial rims on her for super fast road riding. Oh yeah baby!

Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by
Brian
a Downhiller
from Waterbury, Ct, USA

Date Reviewed: June 2, 2000

Strengths: Supple ride, best paint job I have ever seen on a bike, fast east coast/Canadian geometry, bullet proof if taken care of.

Weaknesses: Don't make them anymore

Bottom Line:

I sold my Canondale hardtail to my friend and bought the frame from Phat Tire on closeout for $700. Mine was one of the last ones made is 1997. I need to tell you hard tail guys out there that Steel is the way to go. I can understand if you are a hardcore racer and you want and want that 1/2 pound less weight that a "high end" aluminum bike offers (I say this because an "average" quality aluminum frames will weigh the same mid to high 3 lbs.). But if you are a weekend warrior, go buy a high end steel frame. You will not believe the difference. Don't get me wrong and think that steel means heavy. My bike is 23.8 lbs as it sits. And that is with the first generation Bomber Z2 (I think they weighed in at four and a half pounds). I can get my bike down to 23 or less with a Sid (thinking about it). One way to descibe it best is I will be at the bottom of an especially rocky, root infested trail, with an ear to ear grin, and look up and see my friend (the fore mentioned one with the bone jarring Canyonsnale) and see him bouncing from one side of the trail to the other. This bike gets 5 flaming squirels.

Bike Setup: Full XTR, with a lot of Race Face, Chris King, Syncrose Ti post, and a Bomber Z2

Overall Rating:

Submitted by
GREG
a cross-country rider
from CALGREE.CANADAAAAH

Date Reviewed: August 20, 1998

Bottom Line:

WHAT CAN ONE SAY ABOUT THE MOST INCREDIBLE STEEL FRAMED STEED ONE HAS EVER HAD THE PRIVILEDGE TO RIDE? ROCKY STOPPED MAKING THESE BEAUTIES IN 1996 BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT HIGH-END STEEL WAS NOT WHERE THE INDUSTRY WAS HEADED. I HAD THE LUCK TO GET ONE AT A YEAR-END CLEAR OUT SALE FOR 1000 BUCKS OFF THE STICKER PRICE. LOADED WITH RACEFACE AND SYNCROS, XTR, JUDY SL, MAGURA BRAKES, AND OTHER GOODIES, THIS BIKE IS A SWEET ONE. THE STEEL FRAME IS EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE AND LIGHTER THAN MANY WOULD BELIEVE(3.8 LBS). BUILT UP IT WEIGHS IN AT 23.5 LBS. THE POWDERCOAT MAPLE LEAF RED AND YELLOW PAINT JOB IS THE COOLEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN. IF I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT ALL BIKES ARE ON THIS PLANET TO HAVE THE SHITE RIDDEN OUT OF THEM I WOULD PUT ONE OF THESE BABIES ON MY WALL JUST TO STARE AT IT! NOW TO THE RIDE.....I'M 6'1 AND 170 LBS. THE BIKE IS 18.5 AT THE SEAT TUBE SO I'VE GOT PLENTY OF CLEARANCE WHERE I REALLY NEED IT. CLIMBING IS A DREAM BECAUSE OF THE SHORTENED REAR TRIANGLE. THIS BIKE LOVES TO BE HAMMERED ON! DESCENDING IS A RUSH THANKS TO THE SUPPLENESS OF THE CHROMOLY. I'VE HAD MY ALTITUDE FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AND SHE HAS NEVER LET ME DOWN. ANYONE WHO SAYS THAT STEEL IS A BAD IDEA BECAUSE OF THAT RUST THING JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE TIME TO BE NICE TO THEIR RIDE. A LITTLE TLC EVERY WEEK WILL KEEP IT LOOKING NICE AND SHINY, AND IF YOU CAN DO THE HARDCORE MAINTENANCE LIKE BOTTOM BRACKETS AND HEADSETS, THEN IT'LL LAST LONGER THAN YOU WILL!

Related ALTITUDE T.O. Forum Posts

Last year I bought an older ('98-99?) Rocky Mountain Altitude Team Only from a family friend. I rode it for a few months, put it in the basement for the (long Winnipeg) winter, and pulled it out today to find a crack in the rear brake boss. The LBS I called told me that it is probably repairable ( ... Read More »

ok give my Rocky Altitude Team Only 1996 in Team Colour Maple red/yellow
Size is 17,5 inch C-T, The frame is in a really good condition no rust, dings or dents. some small scratches but overall good image. This is a very rare frame ther where made just 100 piece in 1996 in Team Design. Tubing is Tan ... Read More »

Selling my Rocky Altitude Team Only 1996 in Team Colour Maple red/yellow
Size is 17,5 inch C-T, The frame is in a really good condition no rust, dings or dents. some small scratches but overall good image. This is a very rare frame ther where made just 100 piece in 1996 in Team Design. Tubing is Ta ... Read More »

well almost. Thanks to Rumpfy for leaving my laundry list up and thanks for all the leads. I bought this bike from a guy who as you can see rarely rode this Tange handbuilt, filet brazed beauty. You may have seen it up on ebay it had no bids so we worked this out after the fact. !9" Altitude team ... Read More »

One of the last classic bikes created by Rocky Mountain.
Looking for a frame in good condition, or complete bike lying around a bike shop...accidentally forgotten.
It was a beautiful deep metalic red and yellow, and the last team issue bike made of steel.
Prefer Canadian locations.
Even th ... Read More »